You are conducting an aerial census of bighorn sheep in mountainous terrain when a strong gust of wind causes a temporary upset of your aircraft.  Your response in the next few seconds can mean the difference between life and death.  Studies have shown that pilots exposed to such potential loss of control in training stand a much better chance of extricating themselves from an in-flight emergency.

Rich Stowell of Santa Paula, Calif., the 2007 National Flight Instructor of the Year, created his nationally acclaimed Emergency Maneuver Training ™ program specifically to help pilots avoid loss of control emergencies and to improve their odds of survival in the unlikely event that they find themselves in such a situation.  Stowell has been so generous as to permit the U of M, Crookston to use his training syllabus in offering this invaluable training to students.  Federal and State conservation and law enforcement agencies and many airlines now require this type of training of their pilots.

Recently, nine U of M, Crookston aviation students participated in Emergency Maneuver Training ™ at the Crookston Municipal airport.  Kaitlyn Linde, a junior from Apple Valley, Minn.;  Nik Jiran, a senior from Hayden, Idaho; Nongye Lo, a junior from St. Paul, Minn.; Kyle Sveen, a senior from Hoople, N.D.; Lucas Rosemeyer, a senior from Dorchester, Wis.; David Carignan, a senior from Walhalla, N.D.; Anthony Young, a senior from St. Cloud, Minn.; Jeff Sieger, a senior from Grand Forks, N.D.; Cody McLean, a junior from East Grand Forks, Minn., participated in the training.

The course involves three blocks of training, including introduction to spin training in partner UNDAF Cessna 172s, followed by two blocks of spin and unusual attitude recovery training in a Bellanca Decathlon.  The training includes spins, spin avoidance and recovery, recovery from rolling upsets (inverted flight), recovery from jammed or failed controls, and an introduction to aerobatic flight.

Rich Stowell took his first flying lesson in 1982 and earned his Private license in early 1984. He began his career as a full-time instructor in 1987. In February 2001, Stowell was designated the country's first Master CFI-Aerobatics and has served on the Master Instructors LLC Board of Review for Master CFI-Aerobatic applicants ever since. To learn more, visit www.richstowell.com.

To learn more about aviation on the Crookston campus, visit www.umcrookston.edu/academics.

Today the University of Minnesota, Crookston delivers 29 bachelor's degree programs, 18 minors, and more than 40 concentrations, including several online degrees, in the areas of agriculture and natural resources; business; liberal arts and education; and math, science and technology.  With an enrollment of about 1,400 undergraduates from more than 25 countries and 40 states, the Crookston campus offers a supportive, close-knit atmosphere that leads to a prestigious University of Minnesota degree.  "Small Campus. Big Degree."  To learn more, visit www.umcrookston.edu.

In the photo: Nongye Lo, seated in the pilot seat of a Cessna 172, prior to a spin flight, giving a thumbs up.

Contact: Mike Vivion, chief pilot, 218-281-8114 (mvivion@umn.edu); Elizabeth Tollefson, assistant director, communications, 218-281-8432 (ltollefs@umn.edu)

The University of Minnesota, Crookston co-hosted the National Intercollegiate Flying Association's Region 5 Regional Flying contest at Crookston Municipal Airport during the week of October 11, 2010.  For the first time in 20 years, the U of M, Crookston fielded a team in the competition. Team members included Senior Andrew Knapton, Rockford, Minn.; Junior Nongye Lo, St. Paul., Minn.; and Senior Anthony Young, St. Cloud, Minn.

The competition consisted of nine separate events, including both flying and ground-based competitions.  Contestants may compete in one or all of the contests.  Most of the competitors in this year's event had competed in past events, including several who have competed in the national championships.   Most of the teams practice all year for this competition.

The team members from the U of M, Crookston acquitted themselves superbly, especially considering a relatively short training period and the fact that none of them had past experience with these particular contests. Lo finished 6th overall out of 46 competitors, while Knapton finished 27th and Young finished 28th overall.   

For Mike Vivion, chief pilot on the Crookston campus, the results were a source of pride. "Our Flying Team performed extremely well, and we congratulate them and wish them good luck in next year's event, which will be held in St. Cloud, Minn.," Vivion says.  "All three of the team members are enthusiastic about participating in next year's regional competition, and with more time to practice and one competition under their belt, they should be even more of a threat to the top contenders.

"Most teams brought 10 or more competitors, so UMC is looking to grow its flying team prior to next year's event.  With Andrew, Nongye and Anthony, we've got a great core for a successful team."

To learn more about the opportunities in aviation on the Crookston campus, visit www.umcrookston.edu/academics or contact Vivion at 218-281-8114.

Today the University of Minnesota, Crookston delivers 29 bachelor's degree programs, 18 minors, and more than 40 concentrations, including several online degrees, in the areas of agriculture and natural resources; business; liberal arts and education; and math, science and technology.  With an enrollment of about 1,400 undergraduates from more than 25 countries and 40 states, the Crookston campus offers a supportive, close-knit atmosphere that leads to a prestigious University of Minnesota degree.  "Small Campus. Big Degree."  To learn more, visit www.umcrookston.edu.

In the photo: Judges observe during the spot landing competition.

Contact: Mike Vivion, chief pilot, 218-281-8114 (mvivion@umn.edu); Elizabeth Tollefson, assistant director, communications, 218-281-8432 (ltollefs@umn.edu)

What to do when you're a college student in Minnesota, and you want to attend a professional conference in Idaho?  Junior Andrew Rice (right in photo) and Senior Alvin Tong (left in photo) from the University of Minnesota, Crookston didn't let the distance stop them.  The two natural resources aviation majors climbed into an airplane and flew to the conference.  

 The intrepid aviators took to the cockpit of Andrew's father's Piper Tri Pacer flying both to and from Boise, Idaho, to attend the annual Conference and Safety Workshop of the International Association of Natural Resource Pilots during the week of October 1 -5, 2010.

While crystal clear weather and tailwinds favored the two on the trip to Boise, headwinds, thunderstorms, rain, and darkness plagued them on the return trip.  They handled it all safely and with aplomb during a trip that provided great real-world experience for these budding professional aviators.  

The IANRP is a group of pilots who utilize aircraft in the field of renewable resources. Their aviation specialties are varied and include aircraft use for forestry, wildlife, and fisheries applications, plus enforcement of natural resource regulations. To learn more, visit ianrp.org.

Natural resource aviation is just one of many opportunities for students on the Crookston campus, to learn more about natural resources and other degree programs, visit www.umcrookston.edu/academics.
 
Today the University of Minnesota, Crookston delivers 29 bachelor's degree programs, 18 minors, and more than 40 concentrations, including several online degrees, in the areas of agriculture and natural resources; business; liberal arts and education; and math, science and technology.  With an enrollment of about 1,400 undergraduates from more than 25 countries and 40 states, the Crookston campus offers a supportive, close-knit atmosphere that leads to a prestigious University of Minnesota degree.  "Small Campus. Big Degree."  To learn more, visit www.umcrookston.edu.

Contact: : Mike Vivion, chief pilot, 218-281-8114 (mvivion@umn.edu); Elizabeth Tollefson, assistant director, communications, 218-281-8432 (ltollefs@umn.edu)

Five colleges in the upper Midwest will be participating in a flight competition as part of the National Intercollegiate Flying Association (NIFA) in mid-October. The Region 5 Safecon will kick off with a briefing on Wednesday, October 13, 2010, in Youngquist Auditorium located at the Northwest Research and Outreach Center adjacent to the campus of the University of Minnesota, Crookston. The competition runs through Saturday, October 16 with much of the activity taking place at the Crookston Municipal Airport. The event is hosted by the University of North Dakota (UND) with assistance from Mike Vivion, chief pilot at the U of M, Crookston and his staff.

Students must meet eligibility requirements to compete in the wide range of contests designed to test skills such areas as navigation, message drop, computer accuracy, aircraft inspection, and others. The Region 5 Safecon will be the first time the U of M, Crookston will have a team in the competition. Members of that team include two seniors Andrew Knapton, Rockford, Minn., Anthony Young, St. Cloud, Minn., and a junior Nongye Lo, St. Paul, Minn.

Students at the Crookston campus majoring in aviation learn aviation fundamentals through a partnership with UND and the U of M, Crookston. Other colleges competing include Iowa State University; Minnesota State University, Mankato; St. Cloud State University; and the University of Dubuque.

NIFA sponsors the flying competitions which include both flight and ground-based competitions for member schools. The competitions are held first at the regional level and winners of the regional competition move on to a national contest.
For information about the competition, contact Mike Vivion at 218-281-8114.

The National Intercollegiate Flying Association was formed for the purposes of developing and advancing aviation education; to promote, encourage and foster safety in aviation; to promote and foster communications and cooperation between aviation students, educators, educational institutions and the aviation industry; and to provide an arena for collegiate aviation competition. For more information, visit www.nifa.us.

Today the University of Minnesota, Crookston delivers 29 bachelor's degree programs, 18 minors, and more than 40 concentrations, including several online degrees, in the areas of agriculture and natural resources; business; liberal arts and education; and math, science and technology.  With an enrollment of about 1,400 undergraduates from more than 25 countries and 40 states, the Crookston campus offers a supportive, close-knit atmosphere that leads to a prestigious University of Minnesota degree.  "Small Campus. Big Degree."  To learn more, visit www.umcrookston.edu.

Contact: : Mike Vivion, chief pilot, 218-281-8114 (mvivion@umn.edu); Elizabeth Tollefson, assistant director, communications, 218-281-8432 (ltollefs@umn.edu)

Master Instructors LLC takes great pride in announcing a significant aviation accomplishment on the part of Michael T. Vivion (photo left), a check airman in the University of Minnesota's aviation program and resident of Crookston, Minnesota.  Recently, Vivion's accreditation as a Master CFI (Certified Flight Instructor) was renewed by Master Instructors LLC, the international accrediting authority for Master Instructor designations as well as the FAA-approved Master Instructor Programä.  He first earned this national professional accreditation in 2002, has held it continuously since then, and is one of only 23 worldwide to earn the credential five times.   

A teaching specialist in the aviation program at the U of M, Crookston, Vivion was the 1998 National Aviation Safety Counselor of the Year. He also serves as a FAASTeam representative in the FAA's Minneapolis FSDO area.   

To help put Vivion's achievements in their proper perspective, there are approximately 93,000 CFIs in the United States.  Fewer than 700 of those aviation educators have achieved that distinction thus far.  The last 15 national Flight Instructors of the Year were Master CFIs while Mike is one of only 8 Minnesota teachers of flight to earn this prestigious "Master" title.  In the words of former FAA Administrator Marion Blakey, "The Master Instructor accreditation singles out the best that the right seat has to offer."


The Master Instructor designation is a national accreditation recognized by the FAA.  Candidates must demonstrate an ongoing commitment to excellence, professional growth, and service to the aviation community, and must pass a rigorous evaluation by a peer Board of Review.  The process parallels the continuing education regimen used by other professionals to enhance their knowledge base while increasing their professionalism.  Designees are recognized as outstanding aviation educators for not only their excellence in teaching, but for their engagement in the continuous process of learning -- both their own, and their students'. The designation must be renewed biennially and significantly surpasses the FAA requirements for renewal of the candidate's flight instructor certificate.

Questions regarding the Master Instructor Program may be directed to 303-485-8136 or MasterInstrs@aol.com  To learn more about the Society of Aviation and Flight Educators (SAFE), visit http://www.SafePilots.org. For more information about the program and to locate other Master Instructors, please visit the "Find a Master Instructor" section of www.MasterInstructors.org.

Contact: Mike Vivion, chief pilot, 218-281-8114 (mvivion@umn.edu); Elizabeth Tollefson, assistant director, communications, 218-281-8432 (ltollefs@umn.edu)

University of Minnesota, Crookston Junior Christopher Anderson, from Becker, Minn., majoring in natural resources aviation, completed flight training in the U of M, Crookston's Top Cub, including a solo flight.  The Top Cub flight training is an integral component of the natural resources aviation degree program at the Crookston Campus.
 
The Top Cub airplane exposes students to the demands of flying a high performance conventional- landing-gear equipped airplane which is commonly used in natural resource aviation programs.  The Top Cub is also used to train students in low level reconnaissance missions and animal telemetry. 

Anderson is a recent transfer from the University of Montana, and will complete flight and academic training next academic year in instrument flight as well as continuing his academic course work in natural resources. 

The Natural Resources Aviation degree program at the U of M, Crookston is the only degree of its kind in the United States. To learn more, visit www.umcrookston.edu/academics.

Today the University of Minnesota, Crookston delivers more than 25 bachelor's degree programs and 50 concentrations, including several online degrees, in agriculture and natural resources; arts, humanities and social sciences; business; and math, science and technology.  With an enrollment of about 1,300 undergraduates, the Crookston campus offers a supportive, close-knit atmosphere that leads to a prestigious University of Minnesota degree.  "Small Campus. Big Degree."  To learn more, visit www.umcrookston.edu.

In the photo: Junior Chris Anderson recently completed his Top Cub Flight Training including a solo flight. 

Contact: Mike Vivion, chief pilot, 218-281-8114 (mvivion@umn.edu); Elizabeth Tollefson, assistant director, communications, 218-281-8432 (ltollefs@umn.edu)

University of Minnesota, Crookston Freshman Tim Parks, a law enforcement aviation major from Baltimore, Md., successfully completed the final training requirements to be issued a private pilot certificate on April 19, 2010. 

Parks has worked very hard this academic year to fulfill the requirements of the Federal Aviation Administration approved private pilot course at the U of M, Crookston.
 
The course includes both rigorous academic and flight training programs.  Parks completed his final stage check in this course in a Piper Warrior III at the Crookston Municipal Airport on the evening of the April 19.
 
Parks will proceed to instrument pilot training in his sophomore year while continuing his criminal justice academic studies.  The University of Minnesota, Crookston is one of only a few institutions of higher learning offering a degree in law enforcement aviation.  To learn more, visit www.umcrookston.edu/academics.

Today the University of Minnesota, Crookston delivers more than 25 bachelor's degree programs and 50 concentrations, including several online degrees, in agriculture and natural resources; arts, humanities and social sciences; business; and math, science and technology.  With an enrollment of about 1,300 undergraduates, the Crookston campus offers a supportive, close-knit atmosphere that leads to a prestigious University of Minnesota degree.  "Small Campus. Big Degree."  To learn more, visit www.umcrookston.edu.

In the photo: Freshman Tim Parks (left) is congratulated by Chief Pilot Mike Vivion on the completion of his training requirements to be issued a private pilot certificate on Monday, April 19, 2010.
 

Contact: Mike Vivion, chief pilot, 218-281-8114 (mvivion@umn.edu); Elizabeth Tollefson, assistant director, communications, 218-281-8432 (ltollefs@umn.edu)

Freshman Jeremy Olsen, Lino Lakes, Minn., a natural resources aviation major at the University of Minnesota, Crookston, recently completed his first solo flight. Olsen started flight training in mid-winter and recently completed his first solo flight.
 
The first solo is a major milestone in a fledgling pilot's progression to pilot certification. Olsen will now progress to cross country flights, night flying, and maneuvering flight training, all of which will culminate in his being qualified as a private pilot with single engine land privileges. The natural resource degree with an Aviation emphasis that Olsen is enrolled in will result in certification as a commercial pilot with instrument privileges upon his completion of the degree.

At the U of M, Crookston, the natural resource aviation degree program offers "dual function" degree programs by combining degrees in agriculture, law enforcement, natural resources or business management with professional flight training. To learn more, visit www.umcrookston.edu/academics/agri/aviation.
 
Today the University of Minnesota, Crookston delivers more than 25 bachelor's degree programs and 50 concentrations, including several online degrees, in agriculture and natural resources; arts, humanities and social sciences; business; and math, science and technology.  With an enrollment of about 1,300 undergraduates, the Crookston campus offers a supportive, close-knit atmosphere that leads to a prestigious University of Minnesota degree.  "Small Campus. Big Degree."  To learn more, visit www.umcrookston.edu.
 

Contact: Mike Vivion, chief pilot, 218-281-8114 (mvivion@umn.edu); Elizabeth Tollefson, assistant director, communications, 218-281-8432 (ltollefs@umn.edu)